October 5, 2008

CHAPTER II : SUNNY DAY FOR A RIOT

The Swastika is a horrifically powerful symbol and seems out of place in the USA.It’s dangerous because the “powers” that have ruined this country scoff at it but are the ones who should be wearing them.

Andres Duque from Barcelona send us our first video comment take a look...

This segment reminds me very much of a film I saw 15 years ago called "Blood In The Face" where a film-maker went to a white-supremacist convention and filmed the thing. It was quite clear to me from watching that film that these groups are largely disorganized with very little ability to promote themselves. After the screening of that film, we had a group discussion and practically EVERYONE else in the group (other than me and my friends) we shocked to find out that WE thought the film was funny. Funny in the sense that we couldn't believe that these people (in the film) take themselves seriously, and really believe that they can be successful.

I truly don't think we need to fear the people in this film. Yes it's terrible that they're so closed minded and wear symbols of hate (a symbol stolen from a native american indian tribe, no less) but for me, I think the people that we need to fear are the racists who wear suits and ties. The racists who dress very well, speak very eloquently... and some of whom we address SENATOR and CONGRESSWOMAN. These are the people who truly have power to act on their racism.

Having said that, and as a person who considers himself very open minded, and not a racist... why is it unfair to consider the question that when an african american attacks a white person uttering racial epithets, that it might be a race crime as defined under the race crime laws? I would certainly never stand in line with a nazi to show them support, but the laws apply equally (in theory anyway) to everyone.

i feel like the racist issue is mishandled right now. too much hurt from the times of slavery and jim crow. right now, there is a hate for the racists. we must love the racists, they are important, they resist the hegemonic cultural stance against racist viewpoints. if racists are wrong, how? if they are right, how? this is the conversation of our time, we must be able to have it, informed by facts, not by political prejudice. i am not a nazi. i am a racist. i do not hate other races, but i love my own. i wish for peace and mutualism between races, but also for seperation if desired. some cultures can only develop in isolation, let them isolate themselves if that is their wish. solidarity